From helicoptering habits to snowplowing, parents of college students are becoming increasingly involved in the lives of their almost-adult children.

Colleges are reporting that parents are calling every from professors on up to deans to complain about everything from grades to the food that’s served in campus dining halls, not to mention roommate issues.

Dean of Students Sarah Neill at Simmons admits not all parents behave in this manner, but there is an overall shift in how involved today’s parents are in the students’ lives.

It’s hard to know if the underlying issue is psychological, such as enmeshment and codependency; technological, given our culture’s digital connectivity; or shear habit. Regardless, the behavior is leaving students feeling anxiety due to the perception they are ill-equipped to handle life on their own and depressed because what’s being communicated to them is that they don’t have what it takes to succeed on their own. (Boston Globe)